List of the United States National Park System official units facts for kids
Imagine a huge collection of amazing places across the United States! That's what the Official Units of the National Park System are. These are special lands and sites that the National Park Service (NPS) takes care of. They belong to all of us and are protected for everyone to enjoy.
As of December 2023, there are 417 official units in the National Park System. But this number can be a little tricky! For example, Denali National Park and Preserve is counted as two separate units because it has both a national park and a national preserve. However, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is counted as just one unit, even though it also has two parts. The way they count depends on the specific laws that created each park.
The NPS also helps out with "affiliated areas." These are places that don't officially count as part of the National Park System, but the NPS still offers support. An example is the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
These special places are found all over the United States. You can find them in all 50 states, in Washington, D.C., and in U.S. territories like Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. If you like collecting things, many of these units are part of the national park passport stamps program, where you can get a special stamp for each park you visit!
What Kinds of Places are National Park Units?
The National Park System includes many different types of places. Each type has a special purpose, like protecting nature, preserving history, or offering fun activities. Here are some of the main types of units and how many there are:
| Type of Unit | Number of Units |
|---|---|
| [[National Park (List of national parks of the United States)|National Park]] | 63 |
| National Monument | 84 |
| National Preserve | 19 |
| National Historical Park | 63 |
| National Historic Site | 75 |
| International Historic Site | 1 |
| National Battlefield Park | 4 |
| National Military Park | 9 |
| National Battlefield | 11 |
| National Battlefield Site | 1 |
| National Memorial (List of national memorials of the United States) | 31 |
| National Recreation Area | 18 |
| National Seashore (List of United States national lakeshores and seashores) | 10 |
| National Lakeshore (List of United States national lakeshores and seashores) | 3 |
| National River | 14 |
| National Reserve | 2 |
| National Parkway | 4 |
| National Trail | 6 |
| Other | 11 |
| Total | 417 |
- National Parks are usually large areas that protect amazing natural beauty, like Grand Canyon National Park or Yellowstone National Park.
- National Monuments often protect important natural or historic features, like Statue of Liberty National Monument.
- National Historical Parks and National Historic Sites preserve places important to American history, like where famous events happened or where important people lived.
- National Battlefields and National Military Parks protect sites where important battles took place.
- National Seashores and National Lakeshores protect beautiful coastlines and lakefronts.
- National Recreation Areas offer places for outdoor fun like boating, swimming, and hiking.
See also
- List of areas in the United States National Park System
- List of fee areas in the United States National Park System
- List of all national parks of the world
- List of U.S. state parks
- National Park Passport Stamps
- National Park Travelers Club
